Sporadic Salmon SuccessBuoyed by Healthy River Runs

by Jeffrey Mayor
The News Tribune, July 5, 2008

Prospects for fishing this weekend are good, based on reports from around the region.

Local lakes have been good for everything from trout to crappie to bass. River fishing for steelhead has been best on the Cowlitz and Kalama. Salmon fishing locally has been off and on, due in part to the large tidal changes.

Rivers

Cedar: Flows have jumped up a bit in recent days, so it's still not safe to wade the river.

Columbia: Anglers can keep sockeye salmon through Sunday. Last weekend, the bank anglers had the best action, averaging a salmonid handled per every 4.4 rods; boat anglers averaged one per every 10 rods. Sockeye numbers seem to be falling off. On Tuesday, 4,898 sockeye were counted at Bonneville Dam. The total run has been 193,707 fish. The preseason forecast for the return was 75,600 fish. It was upgraded June 26 to at least 210,000. Bank anglers just below Bonneville Dam last weekend averaged two shad handled per rod. The run seems to be declining, with 26,268 fish counted on Tuesday, bringing the total to 1,949,723.

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Salt water

Ilwaco: Salmon fishing started off hot this week with plenty of limits, but has slowed ever since, said a staffer at Sea Breeze Charters. For the week that ended Sunday, 503 anglers landed 300 chinook and 431 coho, according to a state report.

Tacoma: Anglers are having a tough time finding the fish this week. "They're scattered everywhere," said Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse Marina. Point Dalco has been producing fish at the first part of the incoming tide. The Gig Harbor shoreline has been another spot. Tachell said he saw two fish caught right off boathouse, including a 21-pounder. No matter what method, he said, just be sure to fish within 10 feet of the bottom in water 150 to 200 feet deep.

Westport: Fishing has been very good said a staffer at Westport Charters. Boats were heading out about 12 miles. Last week, 732 anglers brought in 1,168 chinook and 29 coho, said a state report.